Air Transport

By Daniel Williams
This week’s Flight Friday looks at aircraft ground days in the narrowbody sector, split by the CFM56, LEAP, PW1000G (GTF), and V2500 engines.
Aircraft & Propulsion

INDIGO, India agreed to order 30 A350-900s for delivery starting in 2027; deal includes purchase rights for another 70.

Air Transport

GULF AIR plans May 29 to begin Bahrain-Guangzhou (787-9).

Air Transport

TURKISH AIRLINES agreed to lease one used A330-300 (TBA) from May 2024 from CDB Aviation; deal also includes six new 737-8s for delivery in 2025-2026 for AJET, increasing the total number of aircraft on lease from CDB to 17.

Air Transport

AIRCASTLE had $83.3m net income on $855m revenues for year ended Feb 29 vs $62.8m on $796m a year ago and ended fiscal year with 243 owned/nine managed aircraft (for Mizuho Leasing) vs 239/nine. It has $3b in liquidity.

Air Transport

CDB AVIATION completed 54 aircraft lease transactions in 2023 and ended year with 293 owned/87 committed aircraft.

Air Transport

ALASKA AIRLINES plans October 1 to begin San Diego-Las Vegas and LAX-Pasco, WA/-Reno, NV (737/E-Jet).

Air Transport

AMERICAN AIRLINES had $312m net loss on record $12.6b revenues in 1Q24 vs $10m profit on $12.2b in 1Q23. It reduced total debt by nearly $950m and has cut >$12b of its goal of reducing total debt by $15b by the end of 2025.

Air Transport

ARCHER signed multi-hundred-million dollar framework agreement to accelerate commercial air taxi operations across the UAE, to launch as soon as 2025 with Midnight eVTOL, including in-country manufacturing, operations and training.

Air Transport

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES had $231m net loss on record $6.3b revenues in 1Q24 vs $159m loss on $5.7b in 1Q23; it has $11.5b in total liquidity. It says based on Boeing delivery delays, it now projects to take 20 737-8s in 2024 instead of 46, reducing planned retirements to 35 (31 -700s/four -800s) from 49 (45 -700s/four -800s), ending year with 802 aircraft.

Air Transport

By Lori Ranson
Southwest's expected deliveries of Boeing 737-8s in 2024 have plummeted by 59 aircraft as it faces cost pressure from higher labor and maintenance expenses.
Airlines & Lessors

By Christine Boynton
American now expects to take delivery of 22 new mainline aircraft in 2024, down from its prior estimates of 29—or four fewer MAXs and three fewer 787s.
Airlines & Lessors

By Jens Flottau
Airbus is raising production of its A350 widebody further to 12 aircraft per month despite the current supply chain constraints that show no signs of easing.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Sean Broderick
The FAA’s final rule mandating SMS for several types of organizations, is slated for publication April 26 and becomes effective 30 days later, on May 26.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Adrian Schofield
The importance of the China market to Vietnam cannot be overstated.
Airlines & Lessors

By Kurt Hofmann
Lufthansa revealed its new long-haul Allegris cabins on board an Airbus A350-900 in Munich on April 25.
Interiors & Connectivity

By Graham Warwick
Wright Electric has begun building a test cell to characterize the performance of its megawatt-scale electric propulsion systems for large commercial aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Helen Massy-Beresford
The carrier’s liquidity position improved through Q1 to $949 million, which includes the cash settlement for the Wideroe acquisition completed in January.
Airlines & Lessors

By Helen Massy-Beresford
As of the end of March, Wizz Air had 45 Airbus A320neo family aircraft grounded due to issues related to the geared turbofan (GTF) engine recall.
Airlines & Lessors

By Chen Chuanren
India's low-cost giant IndiGo is to get its own widebody fleet after signing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Victoria Moores
Three decades ago, KLM offered some aviation safety support to the Tanzanian government.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

IndiGo is strengthening its fleet with the introduction of wide-body aircraft to its fleet.
Air Transport

By James Pozzi
CEO Richard Sell also laid out HAECO's multiple technology initiatives that are driving operational efficiencies.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Helen Massy-Beresford
Turkish Airlines and CDB Aviation have signed a new lease agreement for an additional six Boeing 737-8s and one Airbus A330-343.
Airlines & Lessors

By Aaron Karp
Breeze is launching four routes to vacation destination Myrtle Beach as part of a series of new services set to be added or resumed for the summer season.
Airports & Networks